Since Kevin Rudd was elected leader of the Federal ALP on December 4, 2006, there have been many indications that he and the ALP is after the private school vote, and in particular the Roman Catholic school vote.

Two apparently innocent articles in a Victorian Newspaper, the Herald Sun January 30, 2007 appeared on the second page. One article is headed " Battle over Littlies' Learning: Labor's $450 Million for four year olds." The give away is the sizeable coloured photograph accompanying the article. Nowhere are the words "public" or "private" used, but there is a happy threesome in the photograph. a child, Lily, four years of age; Kevin Rudd; and  what appears to be a representative of a religious order.

There is no need to guess that the ALP is happy to have the religiously attired lady appearing in the photo, although given our so-called secular state a clearly identified secular person and establishment would have been more appropriate. But apparently they believe there are fewer votes in that area. They may be mistaken.

The second article is even more revealing if one connects the contents of the above January article and the two April articles mentioned below.

The Herald Sun on page 2, 30 January 2007 leads with a Heading: " McKew tipped for Seat." The second paragraph indicates that Ms McKew was hired last month as a political consultant and adviser to Mr. Rudd, but has continually refused to rule out a possible political career. Two months later Maxine McKew's political ambitions came to fruition. She has thrown her hat in the ring in Howard's electorate.

Two weekend Magazine articles are further evidence of the ALP's angling for the Roman Catholic vote.

•  "Face to Face with Maxine McKew", Weekend Australian Magazine, March 31-  April 1 2007 . We quote:

" She ( Maxine McKew) has described her faith as 'fragile' while adding 'the Catholics are my tribe' " ( p. 23 The Weekend Australian Magazine, March 31 - April 1 2007)

•   "The Max Factor" Sunday Life, The Sunday Age Magazine, April 8, 2007. We quote:

"Her sister, Margo ...works in IT with the Catholic Education in Brisbane....Mary ( her stepmother) was a teacher working in a government schools when Maxine was a child. It was she who was determined that both girls would go to her alma mater, one of the top Catholic schools in Brisbane, All Hallows School - which Maxine did at the age of ten..... McKew maintains strong links to the school, often returning to give talks and is a member of their foundation." ( p. 17 Sunday Life, April 8, 2007).

The above speaks for itself.

Are there any members of the Federal ALP or aspirants for the Treasury Benches who are prepared to parade their public school background and commitment to the primacy of the public system along side  sole public funding of the public system?

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